What are the schools like in Prior Lake, MN?

Prior Lake is served primarily by Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools. The district operates 7 elementary schools, 1 middle schools, and 4 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 17.7:1.

What is the median household income in Prior Lake?

The median household income in Prior Lake, MN is $129,539 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 1.5%.

What is the weather like in Prior Lake, MN?

Prior Lake has an average high temperature of 24.4°F in January and 83.7°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 33.8 inches and annual snowfall averages 54.7 inches.

Prior Lake, MN Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Prior Lake, MN affordable or expensive?

Prior Lake's cost of living index is 104, where 100 represents the national average. This means Prior Lake is 4% more expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $400,500 and the median rent is $1,447 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Prior Lake, MN?

Prior Lake has a violent crime rate of 106.5 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 1072.3 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Prior Lake, MN a Good Place to Live?

Prior Lake is a small city of 27,608 in Minnesota, with a median household income of $129,539 and a 1.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.

Strengths: Prior Lake stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Prior Lake is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Prior Lake city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 104.5

Prior Lake's overall cost of living index is 104.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Prior Lake costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.

Metric	Prior Lake, MN	National Avg
Median Home Value	$400,500	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,447	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	86.2%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$129,539	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Prior Lake's violent crime rate is 106.5 per 100,000 residents — 72% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

106.5 /100k

Property Crime

1072.3 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Prior Lake is served primarily by Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.7:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Prior Lake, MN	National Avg
School District	Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools	—
Elementary Schools	7	—
Middle Schools	1	—
High Schools	4	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	17.7:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	51.7%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	97.0%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Prior Lake sees average highs of 24.4°F in January and 83.7°F in July, with 33.8 inches of annual precipitation and 54.7 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Prior Lake, MN
Average High — January	24.4°F
Average High — July	83.7°F
Annual Precipitation	33.8"
Annual Snowfall	54.7"

Demographics

Metric	Prior Lake, MN	National Avg
Population	27,608	—
Median Age	39.4	38.9
Unemployment Rate	1.5%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	25.2 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	87.0%	59.3%
Black or African American	1.2%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	4.1%	18.9%
Asian	4.3%	6.3%
Under 18	25.9%	22.2%
65 and over	13.7%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Shakopee, MN 4 mi Savage, MN 4 mi Credit River, MN 5 mi Burnsville, MN 8 mi Eden Prairie, MN 9 mi

ZIP Codes in Prior Lake

Prior Lake, MN is covered by 1 ZIP code:

55372

Prior Lake vs Other Cities

Prior Lake, MN vs Shakopee, MN Prior Lake, MN vs Savage, MN Prior Lake, MN vs Credit River, MN Prior Lake, MN vs Burnsville, MN Prior Lake, MN vs Eden Prairie, MN

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Prior Lake, MN affordable or expensive?

Prior Lake's cost of living index is 104, where 100 is the national average. That puts Prior Lake roughly 4% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $400,500 and median rent is $1,447/month.

What is the crime rate in Prior Lake, MN?

Prior Lake's violent crime rate is 106.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1072.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Prior Lake?

Public schools in Prior Lake are operated by Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools. The district has 7 elementary, 1 middle, and 4 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.7:1. 51.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Prior Lake, MN a good place to live?

Prior Lake, MN has a population of 27,608, a median household income of $129,539, and an unemployment rate of 1.5%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Prior Lake?

Prior Lake averages 24.4°F in January and 83.7°F in July. Annual rainfall is 33.8 inches with about 54.7 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Prior Lake?

Prior Lake, MN is covered by 1 ZIP code: 55372.

What is the population of Prior Lake?

The population of Prior Lake, Minnesota is 27,608 with a median age of 39.4. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Prior Lake?

Key numbers for living in Prior Lake: cost of living index 104 (100 = US average), median home $400,500, median household income $129,539, crime index 37 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Prior Lake side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.